A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Cove family of England.
Reg. 7514 · English, A–C
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Silver (Argent)Means: Peace and sincerity
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. a bend ar. cottised or”
HerefordHereford, c. 1620
Where the Cove Arms Were Recorded
Hereford
Map of England showing where the Cove arms are recorded
The Cove arms were recorded in Hereford, c. 1620.
Herefordshire lay on the Welsh border, where land was held in return for military service. Families there were expected to arm and to fight, and a fighting household needed a shield it could be known by.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Cove arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Hereford.
Origin & History of the Cove Family in England
The surname Cove is a topographic name, which means it was originally given to people based on the landscape where they lived. In Middle English, the word referred to a small bay, a sheltered inlet, or a hollow in the side of a hill. By the early 17th century, the family had established a notable presence in the county of Hereford. Records from 1620 confirm that members of the Cove family were settled in this region, likely working as farmers or tradespeople who relied on the local geography for their livelihood. Because surnames were often passed down through generations based on these physical landmarks, the name serves as a direct link to the rural English countryside where the family first took root.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Cofa
An Old English personal name derived from the word for cave.
This name
CoveA topographic name for someone who lived near a small bay or hollow.
also spelled
Covey
Coue
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1997
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
bendDefence, and the scarf of a commander
